Within program areas, reporting categories focus on specific issues, topics, crops or animal products. Working groups plan, implement, and evaluate projects and activities within the reporting category. They are led by "coordinators", which may be the State Extension Specialist or another Extension faculty member with expertise in that area.

Campus-based partners include the School of Natural Resources, Office of Arid Lands Studies and Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science.

Outputs

• ARIZONA FIREWISE Working Group
  Develop and deliver the Arizona Firewise program in coordination with the Deputy State Forester and the Arizona Interagency Coordinating Group to residents of Arizona.
  Coordinator: Chris Jones, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent, Gila County Cooperative Extension.

• Projects within this reporting category
  • Environmental and Natural Resource Policy
    Contact: George Frisvold, Extension Economist, Resource Economics, Department of Agriculture & Resource Economics.

• CLIMATE AND NATURAL RESOURCES Working Group
  The impact of climate variability and change on natural resource management is garnering much attention in recent years. Over eight years of intense drought conditions, record setting wildfire events in the summers of 2002 and 2003, large-scale forest mortality due to the interaction of climate and insect outbreaks, water resource concerns and the most recent wide extremes between winter precipitation and flooding events and prolonged drought have brought climate to the center of public attention. Confusion now exists over whether the drought has ended and how quickly many natural resource sectors will recover from its long-term impacts. These extreme climate events have also raised questions on the role of global climate change in impacting Arizona's climate.
  Coordinator: Chris Jones, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent, Gila County Cooperative Extension.

• NATURAL RESOURCES EDUCATION Working Group
  This group primarily addresses water/watershed education, water quantity, water quality, watershed condition, and legal issues related to water rights.
  Coordinators: Jeff Schalau, County Director/Agriculture and Natural Resources, Yavapai County Cooperative Extension and Barron Orr, Geospatial Extension Specialist, Office of Arid Lands Studies (http://www.arid.arizona.edu/). Projects include:
  
  • Arizona Water Education For Teachers
    Kerry Schwartz, Program Coordinator Water Resources Research Center
  • Arizona Master Naturalist
    Coconino County Cooperative Extension
  • Master Watershed Steward
    Coordinator: Candice Rupprecht , Senior Program Coordinator
  • Natural Resource Wonders
    Coordinator: Susan Pater, County Director/4-H Youth Development, Cochise County Cooperative Extension

• SMALL ACREAGE CONSERVATION EDUCATION Working Group
  The "Old West," centered on exploitation of natural resources (i.e., forestry, livestock grazing, mining and irrigated agriculture) now shares the stage with the "New West," which exploits the region's amenities (i.e., climate, scenery, open space, seclusion, independence). The transition from a landscape that directly supports a livelihood to one that offers a lifestyle also results in more landscape fragmentation and divergent management objectives which combine to threaten any kind of sustainable future. These rapid changes have sparked efforts to conserve both the ecological and cultural landscapes of the American West and to arrest, direct or contain "exurban" population growth.
  Coordinator:Jeff Schalau, Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent, Yavapai County Cooperative Extension.

• INVASIVE, NOXIOUS WEEDS Working Group
  This group works within cooperative weed management areas state-wide.
  Coordinator: Larry Howery, Range Management Specialist, School of Renewable Natural Resources
  

• MONITORING ARIZONA'S RANGELANDS Working Group
  The group offers a training and certification program in rangeland monitoring for Arizona ranchers and others interested in sustainable range livestock production systems.
  Coordinator: George Ruyle Program Chair, Rangeland Management and Forest Resources, School of Renewable Natural Resources.

• WATER CONSERVATION Working Group
  As Arizona's population grows, and water needs change, we must be aware and conserve our precious water resources. It is important that individuals and decision makers can make logical decisions that will result in a sustainable water supply for Arizona.
  Coordinator: Channah Rock, Assistant Water Quality Specialist, Maricopa Agricultural Center
  
  
• WATER QUALITY Working Group
  This program addresses water quality issues for both youth and adults. Projects include training on septic systems for homeowners and testing for nitrate in home wells.
  Coordinator: Kitt Farrell-Poe, Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
  
  
• Other projects within this reporting category
  • WaterWise
    Kathryn "Cado" Daily, Water Conservation Educator, Cochise County Cooperative Extension - Sierra Vista Office
  • Low4
    Vicki Richards, Program Coordinator, Pima County Cooperative Extension

• Projects within this reporting category
  • Arizona Watershed Information
    Coordinator: Richard Hawkins, Professor, Watershed Management, School of Natural Resources.
  • Master Watershed Steward
    Coordinator: Robert Emanuel, Program Coordinator Senior
  • Non-point Education for Municipal Officials
    Coordinator: Kristine Uhlman, Program Coordinator, Senior